Top Flight Technologies aims to impact many industries with its powerful hybrid electric drone, the Airborg H8 10K.

By Bianca Herron

MIT alumnus Long Phan (Mechanical Engineering BS, MS, PhD) and a team of engineers and expert advisors helped build the Draper Small Autonomous Aerial Vehicle, the world’s first fully autonomous helicopter, in the mid-1990s. In 2014, not long after battery drones became widely available, Phan was approached by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory with a mission to solve the payload and extended flight time problems for battery-based drones.

Boudreau Pipeline’s customers, employees and vendors are crucial to its 20 years of success.

By Jim Harris

Boudreau Pipeline Corp.’s relationships with its vendors, customers and employees have allowed the company to thrive for the past 20 years.

“I think focusing on people is the biggest reason for our success,” President Alan Boudreau says. “We understand that relationships are the most important thing in our business, and maintaining those relationships is our biggest motivator.”

Boudreau traces his construction experience back to 1996 when he purchased his first backhoe and started a company called A&B Equipment. Boudreau and his wife Christie ran the business out of their home and Boudreau served as its owner-operator.

After a year of working on his own, one of Boudreau’s clients asked him to bid on a pipeline project. Although he was not experienced with pipeline work at the time, he was awarded the project. This led to the launch of Boudreau Pipeline Corp. and the hiring of his first employee, Abel Macias, who still works with the company as a foreman. A few other employees have worked for the company for as long as 17 years, he notes.

Construction projects have become more complex, and builders need better tools to bring those jobs to completion. Specialized Application Workshop ({SAW}) and Software Mill LLC helps them do that, with software that allows clients better insight to their projects.

A replacement bridge over the Colorado River will make for a smoother entrance into the resort community of Glenwood Springs.

By Tim O’Connor

Glenwood Springs, Colo., is a town that relies on tourism. Located about an hour from the famous ski slopes of Aspen, the resort community is busy year-round as vacationers seek out its hot springs, bike trails and rafting rapids. The local economy is intertwined with recreation, but with only one major road through town, it’s understandable that residents are skeptical of any project that might drive visitors away.

In the 1990s, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) tried to replace the Grand Avenue Bridge – which spans the Colorado River and I-70 to serve as the only access point into downtown Glenwood Springs from the north – but the plan was defeated by local opposition. The need for a replacement bridge has only grown in the past two decades as the structure continued to deteriorate. Determined to come up with a project the public would support, CDOT sought out a contractor that would engage residents to lessen the impact of construction and detours on the community. It found that partner in Granite Construction Inc.

Irby Construction Co.’s focus on safety and building relationships with employees and subcontractors led the company to a recent major milestone. By Jim Harris

Irby Construction Company’s emphasis on safety, quality, performance and teamwork has guided the company for more than 70 years. “We work hard to build a family atmosphere among our employees and that translates to a culture of excellence in all aspects of our business,” says Lee Jones, president of the Richland, Miss.,-based power infrastructure contractor.

The company’s management and leadership team regularly spends time in the field with supervisors and crewmembers leading safety meetings and walking projects. ”We try to create a strong rapport with our crewmembers and celebrate milestones when they occur”, says Jones. A long-standing tradition is hosting end-of project cookouts for crew members before moving on to the next project. This family dynamic is one part of the foundation and management style that has created leaders in the field for Irby Construction.

“Our employees know that we care about them and their families, and we are all very engaged with our customer base,” Jones adds. “Irby has a 70 year history of providing our customers with safe work practices, quality service, effective communication and innovative solutions.”

DelDOT’s latest project will not only improve safety, but also serve as a learning opportunity for future employees. By Bianca Herron

Delaware’s Department Of Transportation (DelDOT) is responsible for 90 percent of the roads in the state. Maintaining everything from interstate highways to neighborhood streets, DelDOT strives to make every trip taken in the state safe, reliable and convenient for travelers not only via roads, but also by rails, buses, airways, waterways, bike trails and walking paths.

“We have regional traffic coming through from Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey,” Chief Engineer Robert McCleary says. “We have 1,600 bridges and maintain about 13,000 lane miles of highway. We have an agency of about 2,800 employees and our total operating budget is nearly $1 billion. It includes the Department of Motor Vehicles as well as the Delaware Transit Corporation, which are both subsidiaries of our agency. Additionally, we’re the 49th state in terms of size, but we rank near 17th in lane miles. So we have a real robust program for a small state.”

Liesfeld Contractor has evolved from residential lot grading to a host of heavy civil capabilities including site preparation and road building during its 45-year history. By Jim Harris

Liesfeld Contractor Inc.’s ability to expand into diverse markets and adapt to the latest developments in its industry have helped it to grow significantly during its 45-year history.

Founded in 1972 by Joe Liesfeld Jr. as a small residential home lot grading provider, the company greatly evolved its capabilities during its first few decades in business to include additional work in the residential and commercial sectors. Liesfeld Contractor has further grown in the 21st century into the industrial and governmental markets.

Cable distributor Montana is expanding its product and service offerings for the New York construction market.

By Tim O’Connor

The construction market has rebounded across the country since the Great Recession, bringing jobs and activity back into the industry. In few places is that recovery more evident than New York City.

The New York Building Congress forecasts that construction spending and employment are approaching or exceeding record territory. The organization estimated that construction spending reached $43.1 billion in the Big Apple in 2016, exceeding $40 billion for the first time. A total of $127.5 billion worth of building is expected to occur through 2018.